SAN ANTONIO, Texas — Pitchers Reece Calvert and Bailey Sutton combined to allow only three runs on six hits, leading WKU Baseball to a series-opening win over UTSA by a score of 5-3. Right fielder Jack Wilson's 3-for-4 night led a Hilltopper offense that tallied 12 base hits from eight different players.
WKU kept pace in fourth place in Conference USA, improving to 10-8-1 in league play and 19-20-1 overall. UTSA, meanwhile, remains in ninth place with an 8-11 league mark and 19-23 overall record.
The Roadrunners jumped ahead 2-0 in the bottom of the first on a two-run double by Dylan Rock, but Calvert would produce a spotless start after that. The Plano, Texas, native completed 5.2 frames of two-run ball with a career-high five strikeouts for the second-straight week. He threw a career-high 102 pitches and allowed only three singles after the first inning.
While Calvert kept UTSA at bay, the Hilltoppers were able to tie it up in the top of the fourth. Designated hitter Dillon Nelson and first baseman Matt Phipps struck for back-to-back, one-out singles, then second baseman Nick Brunson and third baseman Sam McElreath came through with back-to-back, two-out, RBI singles.
After Sutton came in for the final out of the sixth, WKU struck for two more runs in the top of the seventh. Running on fumes in his seventh inning of work, Roadrunner starter walked three batters after issuing only one free pass in the first six frames. The Hilltoppers claimed a 4-2 lead when Wilson produced an RBI single and Nelson was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
WKU's relentless offensive attack produced nine hits against Patel — who was the reigning C-USA Pitcher of the Week after carrying a no-hitter into the sixth inning against UAB — which were the most allowed by the righty in seven league starts this season. Meanwhile, the four runs scored tied for the most he has allowed in any of his 11 starts in his senior campaign.
Sutton allowed a solo homerun to Bryan Arias with two outs in the seventh to make it a 4-3 game, but otherwise held UTSA hitless across 3.1 innings pitched. The sophomore from Louisville threw 26-of-43 pitches for strikes and tied a career-high with four strikeouts.
Catcher Collin Hopkins made his sixth start of the season behind the plate and came through with an RBI single in the eighth inning to push the Hilltopper lead back to two runs, at 5-3. Sutton issued a two-out walk in the bottom of the ninth to bring the potential game-tying run to the plate, but got pinch hitter Jonathan Tapia to fly out to center field for the 27th out.
Topper Notes
- WKU improved to 6-0 when a starting pitcher goes five-plus innings, 19-4-1 when scoring five-plus runs, 16-11-1 when the opponent throws a righty and 14-4 when out-hitting the opponent.
- The Hilltoppers also pushed their records to 5-11 outside the state of Kentucky, 5-6 on Friday's, 6-6 wearing black jerseys, 3-9 on grass (at least infield) and 5-10 when the opponent scores in the first inning.
- WKU notched its 11th come-from-behind win of the year, including the sixth in C-USA play; all of which by two or more runs. The team also improved to 9-1 in league action when allowing five or fewer runs.
- Everyone in the lineup had at least one hit, except for center fielder Jake Sanford. It was only the seventh time this season the Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, native was held hitless, although he did draw a walk in the seventh inning to extend his on-base streak to a team-high 25 games.
Topper Quotes
- "Reece went out there and he was outstanding, he was very exciting to come back home and pitch in Texas. In the first inning he left the ball up and they put a couple of good swings on him, but he really settled in. His stuff was good, just like it was last weekend, and we really needed that start." — Head coach John Pawlowski.
- "I felt good tonight, I was just trusting my coaches and their pitch-calling ... It's important to get ahead in the count with strikes, whether it's a fastball, changeup or curveball. I try to mix it up and throw what the hitter doesn't think is coming. I kept pounding the zone and let my defense do some work behind me." — Sophomore Bailey Sutton.
Up Next
The Hilltoppers and Roadrunners will go back at it for Game 2 of the weekend series on Saturday, April 27. First pitch at Roadrunner Field will be at 2 p.m., with lefty Troy Newell opposing a UTSA pitcher TBA.
